The History of the Ark and the Tabernacle
读经：撒上四1~七2
壹 基督已经得着我们，使我们能得着祂，好使神得以建造到我们里面，并使我们得以建造到祂里面，而成为团体的神人，就是召会作为神的帐幕的实际；召会就是活神的家，神与人相互的住处─腓三8、12~14，约一14，启二一2~3，七15，提前三15，约十四2、23。
I. Christ has gained us so that we might gain Him in order for God to be built into us and for us to be built into Him to become a corporate God-man, the reality of the church as the tabernacle of God, which is the house of the living God, the mutual abode of God and man—Phil. 3:8, 12-14; John 1:14; Rev. 21:2-3; 7:15; 1 Tim. 3:15; John 14:2, 23.
贰 我们要进入基督身体的实际，就必须看见约柜的内在意义：
II. In order to enter into the reality of the Body of Christ, we must see the intrinsic significance of the Ark:
一 约柜预表基督是三一神与祂的子民同在，为着完成祂的经纶，在地上建立祂的国度─太一23。
A. The Ark typifies Christ as the presence of the Triune God with His people for the carrying out of His economy to establish His kingdom on earth—Matt. 1:23.
二 约柜是帐幕的中心和内容，表征基督是召会的中心和内容；在帐幕的异象里，头一项提到的是约柜，这指明基督在召会中居于首位─出二五22，西一17下、18下：
B. The Ark was the center and content of the tabernacle, signifying Christ as the center and content of the church; the Ark being the first item mentioned in the vision of the tabernacle indicates that Christ occupies the place of preeminence in the church—Exo. 25:22; Col. 1:17b, 18b:
1 约柜包含律法的版，律法是神的见证，神所是的彰显和启示─出二五16，三一18。
1. The Ark contained the tablets of the law as the testimony of God, the expression and revelation of who God is—Exo. 25:16; 31:18.
2 至圣所里的约柜表征基督是神居所─召会（弗二21~22）的中心，也是召会作为神的家（提前三15~16，参撒上四22，启三20）的内容。─引用经文
2. The Ark in the Holy of Holies signifies Christ as the center of God's dwelling place, the church (Eph. 2:21-22), and the contents of the church as the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15-16; cf. 1 Sam. 4:22; Rev. 3:20).
三 约柜是用皂荚木包金作的，表征是灵的基督作神的具体化身并作神性与人性的调和（神与人的建造），住在我们的灵里，使我们接触神并享受神─提后四22，林后三17，西二9，来九4：
C. The Ark of acacia wood overlaid with gold signifies the pneumatic Christ as the embodiment of God and as the mingling of divinity with humanity, the building of God with man, dwelling in our spirit for us to contact God and enjoy God—2 Tim. 4:22; 2 Cor. 3:17; Col. 2:9; Heb. 9:4:
1 皂荚木表征基督的人性，品质坚刚，标准崇高，乃是彰显神的基本实质─出二五10，太三16，四4，八20，九12~13，十一29，十二19~20，十七27，二十28，二七12、14，可一35，六39~41，约六12，七6，参徒十六7。
1. Acacia wood signifies Christ's humanity, strong in character and high in standard, as the basic substance for expressing God—Exo. 25:10; Matt. 3:16; 4:4; 8:20; 9:12-13; 11:29; 12:19-20; 17:27; 20:28; 27:12, 14; Mark 1:35; 6:39-41; John 6:12; 7:6; cf. Acts 16:7.
2 皂荚木里外都包金，表征神圣的性情渗进属人的性情里，并托在属人的性情上，好借着属人的性情得着彰显─出二五11，启三18上，彼后一4，参启十七4。
2. The acacia wood being overlaid with gold both inside and outside signifies the divine nature penetrating the human nature and resting on the human nature so that it may be expressed through the human nature—Exo. 25:11; Rev. 3:18a; 2 Pet. 1:4; cf. Rev. 17:4.
四 约柜的平息盖表征基督是神和祂的赎民相会的地方─出二五17~22：
D. The propitiatory cover of the Ark signifies Christ as the meeting place of God and His redeemed people—Exo. 25:17-22:
1 基督是那位成就平息的（来二17），平息了神与我们之间的关系，借着祂自己作平息的祭物（约壹二2，四10）满足了神的要求，借此使我们与神和好。─引用经文
1. Christ is the One who propitiates (Heb. 2:17), the One who appeases the relationship between God and us, the One who reconciles us to God by satisfying God's demand through Himself as the propitiatory sacrifice (1 John 2:2; 4:10).
2 基督也是那有神性照耀和人性救赎的平息盖，就是我们在神面前享受平息的地方，以及我们能与公义、圣别、荣耀的神相会并交通，以接受祂作恩典的地方─罗三25，来四16：
2. Christ is also the propitiatory cover with the shining of His divinity and the redeeming of His humanity, the place where we enjoy propitiation before God and where we can meet and fellowship with our righteous, holy, and glorious God to receive Him as grace—Rom. 3:25; Heb. 4:16:
a 平息盖上两个金子作的基路伯，指明神的荣耀是从基督照耀出来（出二五18~20）；平息祭物的血弹在约柜的平息盖上，表征因着基督救赎的血，我们能与公义的神在祂的荣耀中有交通（利十六14~15）。─引用经文
a. The two cherubim of gold on the propitiatory cover indicate that God's glory shines out from Christ (Exo. 25:18-20); the blood of the propitiatory sacrifice being sprinkled on the propitiatory cover of the Ark signifies that because of the blood of Christ's redemption, we can have fellowship with the righteous God in the midst of His glory (Lev. 16:14-15).
b 神越与我们相会，越与我们说话，并且我们越与神相会，越听祂说话，在我们的经历中就越有神的见证。
b. The more God meets with us and speaks with us, and the more we meet with God and listen to His speaking, the more of the testimony of God there will be in our experience.
叁 约柜和帐幕的历史，描绘神心头的愿望、召会的荒凉以及召会的恢复，好作神的见证，神的彰显─出二五9~10，二六26~30，四十38：
III. The history of the Ark and the tabernacle portrays the desire of God's heart, the desolation of the church, and the recovery of the church for God's testimony, God's expression—Exo. 25:9-10; 26:26-30; 40:38:
一 约柜是帐幕的中心和内容，表征基督是召会的中心和内容，而召会就是神的帐幕，神的家，作神团体的彰显─二五22，四十21，西二9，弗二21~22，提前三15。
A. As the center and content of the tabernacle, the Ark signifies Christ as the center and content of the church as God's tabernacle, God's house, for God's corporate expression—25:22; 40:21; Col. 2:9; Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Tim. 3:15.
二 在约柜第一阶段的历史里，约柜是在帐幕里；这表征正常的召会是基督的彰显，基督是召会的内容；然而，约柜至终与帐幕分开了；这表征召会堕落并失去基督的实际与同在─出四十34~35，撒上四1~七2。
B. In the first stage of its history, the Ark was in the tabernacle; this signifies that the normal church was the expression of Christ, and Christ was the content of the church; however, the Ark eventually was separated from the tabernacle; this signifies that the church became degraded and lost the reality and presence of Christ—Exo. 40:34-35; 1 Sam. 4:1—7:2.
三 约柜预表作神具体化身的基督，也预表基督是三一神与祂的子民同在，为着完成祂的经纶，在地上建立祂的国度（书三3、10~17）；把约柜接出来，就是把神的同在接出来（民十33~36，撒上四3~4）。─引用经文
C. The Ark typifies Christ as the embodiment of God and as the presence of the Triune God with His people for the carrying out of His economy to establish His kingdom on earth (Josh. 3:3, 10-17); to bring out the Ark was to bring out the presence of God (Num. 10:33-36; 1 Sam. 4:3-4).
四 约柜的行动乃是神在作祂具体化身的基督里，在地上行动的图画（诗六八1~18）；然而，以色列人与非利士人争战时，神无意行动。─引用经文
D. The move of the Ark was a picture of God's move on the earth in Christ as His embodiment (Psa. 68:1-18); however, during Israel's fighting with the Philistines, God did not intend to move.
五 以色列人没有想到神的经纶，也不关心神的经纶；他们把约柜接出来与非利士人争战，指明他们是为着自己的安全、平安、安息和好处僭用神，甚至强迫神与他们一同出去。
E. The children of Israel had no thought of or concern for God's economy, and their bringing out the Ark to battle the Philistines indicated that they were usurping God, even forcing Him to go out with them for their safety, peace, rest, and profit.
六 原则上，什么时候我们为着自己的亨通祷告，却根本不顾神的经纶，我们就作了同样的事；我们不该僭用神，乃该像撒母耳一样，照着神的心，且为着祂的经纶祷告、生活并为人。
F. In principle, we do the same thing whenever we pray for our prosperity without any consideration of God's economy; instead of usurping God, we should pray, live, and be persons, like Samuel, according to God's heart and for His economy.
七 人今天以自己的需要顶替神的见证；什么时候把人的需要顶替神的见证，什么时候就是堕落的开始，就要出问题；约柜不仅是神的约柜（撒上四11、13、17~19、21~22），也是见证的柜（出二五22，四十21）。─引用经文
G. Today men are replacing God's testimony with man's need; when man's need replaces God's testimony, degradation begins and problems arise; the Ark was not only the Ark of God (1 Sam. 4:11, 13, 17-19, 21-22) but also the Ark of the Testimony (Exo. 25:22; 40:21).
八 以色列人应当悔改，彻底认罪，离弃偶像，回转向神，也该求问神要他们作什么。
H. Israel should have repented, made a thorough confession, returned to God from their idols, and inquired of God as to what He wanted them to do.
九 但他们对神的渴望和神永远的经纶完全无心，只基于已过借约柜的行动所经历的得胜，而迷信地信靠约柜。
I. Instead, having no heart for God's desire or for His eternal economy, they exercised their superstition to trust in the Ark based on their past victories that they had experienced through the move of the Ark.
十 因着以色列人的堕落，约柜被非利士人掳去，就与帐幕分开，使帐幕成为没有实际，没有正确内容的虚空器皿（撒上四11~六1）；这表征召会在其历史的第二阶段堕落并失去基督的实际与同在（三~四，启三20）。─引用经文
J. Due to Israel's degradation, the Ark was captured by the Philistines and was separated from the tabernacle, leaving the tabernacle an empty vessel with no reality, no proper content (1 Sam. 4:11—6:1); this signifies that in the second stage of its history, the church became degraded and lost the reality and presence of Christ (chs. 3—4; Rev. 3:20).
十一 堕落的以色列人是愚昧的，因为他们不直接信靠神，反而信靠神所设立的制度；他们把神的约柜从帐幕接出来以前，应当先求问神，像约书亚在耶利哥所作的一样（书六2~4，参九14）。─引用经文
K. In their degradation Israel was foolish because they did not trust in God directly; rather, they trusted in the systems ordained by God; before bringing the Ark of God out of the tabernacle, they should have checked with God as Joshua did at Jericho (Josh. 6:2-4; cf. 9:14).
十二 我们应该从灵的深处对主说，“主啊，我在地上，不是为着我的健康、我的亨通、我的安全、我的平安、我的安息或我的好处。因着我要作一个得胜的真拿细耳人与你合作，以完成你的经纶，我求问你：你心里对我的计划是什么？”─撒上二30下、35，民六1~9，参王上八48，耶三二39。
L. From the depths of our spirit we should say to the Lord, "Lord, I am not here on earth for my health, my prosperity, my safety, my peace, my rest, or my profit; because I want to be a true overcoming Nazarite cooperating with You for the fulfillment of Your economy, I ask You what is on Your heart concerning me"—1 Sam. 2:30b, 35; Num. 6:1-9; cf. 1 Kings 8:48; Jer. 32:39.>十三 以色列人因着堕落得罪神到极点，神就离开他们；至终，约柜并没有拯救以色列人，反而约柜本身也被掳去，神的荣耀离开以色列（撒上二30、34，四10~18、22，诗七八61）；“无约柜”就是“无基督”，而“无基督”意思就是“以迦博”，即“无荣耀”─撒上四21~22，启三20。
M. In their degradation the children of Israel offended God to the uttermost, and God left them; eventually, instead of the Ark saving Israel, the Ark itself was captured, and the glory of God departed from Israel (1 Sam. 2:30, 34; 4:10-18, 22; Psa. 78:61); to be "Arkless" is to be "Christless," and to be "Christless" means that there is "Ichabod," meaning No Glory (1 Sam. 4:21-22; Rev. 3:20).
肆 后来，约柜得恢复，先被抬到基列耶琳，亚比拿达的家中，在那里二十年之久（撒上六2~七2），然后又到了迦特人俄别以东的家，停在那里三个月（撒下六1~11，参撒上一24，书十八1）；这表征从第二世纪开始，有一些“俄别以东”兴起，他们有主的同在（约柜），但没有正确的召会生活作基督的彰显（帐幕）。─引用经文
IV. Later, the Ark was recovered and brought first to the house of Abinadab at Kiriath-jearim, where it remained for twenty years (1 Sam. 6:2—7:2), and then to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, where it stayed for three months (2 Sam. 6:1-11; cf. 1 Sam. 1:24; Josh. 18:1); this signifies that beginning from the second century a number of "Obed-edoms" were raised up, who had the Lord's presence (the Ark) but did not have the proper church life as the expression of Christ (the tabernacle).
伍 大卫将约柜从俄别以东的家搬到他自己的城，在锡安山，耶路撒冷上好之地，他所预备的帐棚里（撒下六12~19，代上十五1~十六1）；这光景有了进步，但约柜仍然不是在正确的地方，因为还没有回到帐幕里：─引用经文
V. David moved the Ark from Obed-edom's house to a tent that he had prepared for it in his own city, at Mount Zion, the choicest place in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:12-19; 1 Chron. 15:1—16:1); this was an improved situation, but the Ark was still in an improper place because it had not been returned to the tabernacle:
一 这光景表征有别的信徒，像大卫一样，顾到神的权益，尝试实行召会生活，却是照着自己的拣选，没有照着神的启示。
A. This situation signifies that other believers who, like David, cared for God's interests, attempted to practice the church life according to their own choice, not according to God's revelation.
二 这些信徒有基督，但他们虽有基督，却带着不正确召会生活的实行（由大卫在耶路撒冷的帐棚所预表）─参王上三3~15。
B. These believers had Christ, but they had Him with an improper practice of the church life (typified by David's tent in Jerusalem)—cf. 1 Kings 3:3-15.
陆 最后，所罗门在耶路撒冷完成圣殿的建造，就把约柜搬到殿内的至圣所里，这才完全恢复到正常的光景；今天在主的恢复里，祂正在作工以恢复正常的光景，使基督在作祂身体实际的正确召会里，得着彰显─八1~11、48，弗二21~22，三16~21。
VI. Finally, after Solomon finished the building of the temple in Jerusalem, the Ark was moved into the Holy of Holies in the temple for a full recovery of the normal situation; today in His recovery the Lord is working to restore the normal condition of Christ within the proper church as the reality of the Body of Christ for His expression—8:1-11, 48; Eph. 2:21-22; 3:16-21.
柒 约柜和帐幕的历史预表召会的历史，完全描绘出召会从开始到如今的过程和光景；这历史主要的有五方面：
VII. The history of the Ark and the tabernacle is a prefigure of church history, giving us a full portrait of the course and situation of the church from the very beginning to the present time; there are five main aspects of this history:
一 第一种光景是召会中有基督；这是由约柜在帐幕里所预表，以约柜为内容，而帐幕是约柜的彰显；这是召会第一个时期的图画，在绝对正常的光景里─基督是召会的内容，召会是基督的彰显─出四十34~38，弗三16~21。
A. The first situation is that of the church with Christ in it; this is typified by the Ark in the tabernacle, with the Ark as the content and the tabernacle as its expression; this is a picture of the first stage of the church in an absolutely normal condition of Christ being the content of the church and the church being the expression of Christ—Exo. 40:34-38; Eph. 3:16-21.
二 第二种光景是召会中没有基督；这是由因着神百姓的失败，约柜被掳并与帐幕分开所预表；帐幕成为空的，描绘基督徒的失败，使召会失去基督的实际和同在─启二4~5，三20。
B. The second situation is that of the church without Christ in it; this is typified by the Ark being captured and separated from the tabernacle because of the failure of the people of God; the tabernacle becoming empty portrays the failures of the Christians that caused the church to lose the reality and presence of Christ—Rev. 2:4-5; 3:20.
三 第三种光景是有基督却没有召会；这是由没有帐幕的约柜所预表；首先在基列耶琳的亚比拿达家中二十年（撒上七1~2），后来在迦特人俄别以东的家中三个月（撒下六10~12），约柜与帐幕分开；召会历史启示，从第二世纪到现在，有过许多俄别以东。─引用经文
C. The third situation is that of Christ without the church; this is typified by the Ark being without the tabernacle; first, in the house of Abinadab at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years (1 Sam. 7:1-2) and then in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months (2 Sam. 6:10-12), the Ark was apart from the tabernacle; church history reveals that from the second century to the present time there have been many Obed-edoms.
四 第四种光景是基督同着不合式的召会；大卫在耶路撒冷为约柜预备了一个帐棚，但不是照着神启示给摩西的样式；许多基督徒有约柜─基督─同着不合式的召会─17节，代上十五1，代下一4，出二五9。
D. The fourth situation is that of Christ with an inadequate church; David had prepared a tent for the Ark in Jerusalem, but it was not according to the pattern revealed by God to Moses; many Christians have the Ark—Christ—with an inadequate church—v. 17; 1 Chron. 15:1; 2 Chron. 1:4; Exo. 25:9.
五 第五种光景是基督同着正确的召会；这是由约柜同着已扩大又扩增为殿的正确帐幕所预表；乃是在这样的光景里，就是有基督作实际，同着彰显祂的正确召会，我们感觉到完全在家了─诗九十1~2，九一1~16，九二12~15，一三二5、8，代上二八11~20，代下三1。
E. The fifth situation is that of Christ with a proper church; this is typified by the Ark with the proper tabernacle that has been enlarged and increased to be the temple; it is in this situation—Christ as the reality with a proper church as His expression—that we feel completely at home—Psa. 90:1-2; 91:1-16; 92:12-15; 132:5, 8; 1 Chron. 28:11-20; 2 Chron. 3:1.